Seed inductor for an agricultural implement having an adjustable air bypass

Abstract

A particulate material delivery system for an agricultural implement including, an inductor box configured to receive particulate material from a tank, the inductor box including, an inductor segment comprising an air bypass channel extending through a particulate material supply chamber, wherein the particulate material supply chamber is configured to receive the particulate material for distribution to at least one row unit, and the air bypass channel is configured to guide airflow through the particulate material supply chamber without interacting with a flow of the particulate material through the particulate material supply chamber, and an airflow control device in communication with the inductor segment and configured to control the airflow through the air bypass channel.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A particulate material delivery system for an agricultural implement comprising:
 an inductor box configured to receive particulate material from a tank, the inductor box comprising:
 an inductor segment comprising an air bypass channel extending through a particulate material supply chamber, wherein the particulate material supply chamber is configured to receive the particulate material for distribution to at least one row unit, and the air bypass channel is configured to guide airflow through the particulate material supply chamber without interacting with a flow of the particulate material through the particulate material supply chamber; and 
 an airflow control device in communication with the inductor segment and configured to control the airflow through the air bypass channel. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the air bypass channel includes an inlet and an outlet. 
     
     
       3. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 2 , wherein the airflow control device is positioned adjacent to the inlet. 
     
     
       4. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 3 , wherein the airflow control device includes one or more apertures configured to facilitate airflow through the airflow control device and into the air bypass channel. 
     
     
       5. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the inductor box includes a plurality of inductor segments each having a respective air bypass channel, and each air bypass channel having a respective inlet and a respective outlet. 
     
     
       6. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 5 , comprising a plurality of airflow control devices each positioned adjacent to a respective inlet. 
     
     
       7. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 5 , wherein a single airflow control device is positioned adjacent to a respective inlet. 
     
     
       8. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of airflow control devices includes differently sized apertures configured to control the airflow through the respective air bypass channels. 
     
     
       9. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 7 , wherein the airflow control device includes differently sized apertures configured to control the airflow through the respective air bypass channels. 
     
     
       10. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the air bypass channel is substantially perpendicular to an air supply chamber, the air supply chamber is configured to provide the airflow from an airflow supply, and the air supply chamber directs the airflow into the air bypass channel through the airflow control device. 
     
     
       11. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow control device comprises a baffle. 
     
     
       12. The particulate material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow control device comprises a plug configured to be inserted into the air bypass channel.